University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Yunxiang Yan is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His work focuses on China and Cultural Anthropology , with specific expertise in Economic Anthropology , Family and Kinship , and Individualization . Education: Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from Harvard University (1993). Yan’s research explores the intersection of social change , moral theory , and family dynamics in modern China. His ethnographic studies in rural villages provide foundational insights into exchange theory and cultural globalization . Recent publications analyze food safety , medical ethics , and moral crises in China, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach combining anthropology, sociology, and philosophy. Articles span themes like intergenerational intimacy , political oppression , and networked social structures . Scientific Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship Levenson Prize-winning Research Yan’s work bridges local Chinese studies with global anthropological discourse. He has held positions at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Johns Hopkins University, and UCLA since 1996. His career reflects a commitment to documenting the lives of ordinary people, rooted in his early experiences as an expelled villager during Maoist China. Contact: yan@anthro.ucla.edu
Haiyan Lee serves as the Walter A. Haas Professor of the Humanities and Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and of Comparative Literature at Stanford University. She has held these positions since joining Stanford in 2009, and currently serves as Chair of the East Asian Languages and Cultures department (2020-present). Her academic journey includes previous teaching appointments at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Hong Kong, along with post-doctoral fellowships at Cornell University and Harvard University. Lee's research spans multiple interdisciplinary fields with particular focus on modern Chinese literature and cultural production. Her work bridges literary studies with law, philosophy, cognitive science, affect theory, gender studies, and environmental humanities. She has developed influential theoretical frameworks including the concept of "high justice" and "low justice" in Chinese legal imagination. Her current research explores animism, cognition, and the Chinese environmental imagination, extending her longstanding interest in human-animal relations. Lee's publications reveal a consistent trajectory examining Chinese cultural production through innovative theoretical lenses. Her recent work shows increasing engagement with legal theory, environmental humanities, and cognitive approaches to literature. She has produced significant scholarship on Chinese concepts of justice, love, and the stranger, moving across historical periods from early 20th century to contemporary China. Biennial Book Prize, Honorable Mention, International Society for Chinese Law and History (ISCLH) (2024) Humanities Seed Grant, Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences (2023-2025) Bass Fellowship in Undergraduate Education, Stanford University (2022-2027) Joseph Levenson Book Prize, The Association for Asian Studies (2009) Professor Lee actively mentors doctoral students across multiple disciplines, serving as dissertation advisor, co-advisor, and committee member for students working at the intersection of Chinese studies, law, literature, and cultural theory. Her teaching includes courses across East Asian humanities, comparative literature, and interdisciplinary environmental studies. She has received significant research support including the Frederick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies and a residency at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.
Professor David A Palmer is a distinguished academic jointly appointed by the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong, where he has been teaching since 2008. His interdisciplinary work bridges anthropology, sociology, religious studies, and Sinology, establishing him as a leading scholar in Chinese religious studies and transnational religious movements. Palmer's educational background includes a PhD in Anthropology of Religion from Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (Sorbonne, Paris), an MPhil in Clinical Psychology/Medical Anthropology from University of Paris-VIII, and a BA in Anthropology and East Asian Studies from McGill University. His scholarly contributions span multiple disciplines with particular emphasis on Chinese religious traditions and their global manifestations. His research interests focus on the anthropology and sociology of spirituality and religion, especially Daoism and Chinese religion; religion in modern and contemporary China; inter-Asian and transnational religious circulations; Baháʼí Faith; civil society, volunteering, philanthropy, community engagement; and cultural and religious interactions on the Belt and Road. His work examines how religious traditions navigate modernity, state power, and globalization, with particular attention to the Belt and Road Initiative's cultural dimensions. Palmer's publications reveal a consistent focus on understanding Chinese religious traditions within broader theoretical frameworks of social theory, civil society, and transnational religious networks. His articles demonstrate how Chinese religious practices and institutions both adapt to and shape contemporary social and political contexts, with particular attention to the intersections of spirituality, modernity, and state-society relations. Joseph Levenson Award of the Association for Asian Studies PROSE award of the American Publishers' Association Francis L.K. Hsu Award of the Society for East Asian Anthropology Edward Bruner Prize for the best book in Anthropology of Tourism HK Research Grants Council RGC Research Fellowship (2021-2025) HK Research Grants Council Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship (2019) Palmer currently leads multiple significant research projects including 'Global China, Local Cultures: Chinese Modernity and Soft Power on the Belt and Road' (RGC Research Fellowship, 2021-2025), 'Infrastructures of Faith: Religious Mobilities on the Belt and Road' (CRF, 2019-2023), 'Rituals and Manuscripts of the Lanten Yao (Laos)' (GRF, 2021-2024), and 'Religious Cosmopolitanism in China, 1895-1927' (GRF, 2021-2024). He leads the 'Asian Religious Connections' research cluster at HKIHSS, co-convenes the 'Culture, Community and Social Equity' research cluster in the HKU Faculty of Social Sciences, and serves as co-convenor of the HKU Anthropology Research Network. As President of the East Asian Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, he plays a key role in advancing scholarly understanding of religion in the region.
Michael Kremer is a University Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago, holding positions in the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the College, and the Harris School of Public Policy. He is the 2019 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences for pioneering experimental methods to address global poverty. Kremer earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1992 and has been affiliated with the University of Chicago since 2020. His research focuses on development economics, field experiments, and policies impacting education, health, water, and agriculture in developing countries. He directs the Development Innovation Lab and leads the Development Economics Center at Chicago, emphasizing evidence-based solutions to poverty. Kremer’s work combines rigorous academic inquiry with practical policy applications, bridging theoretical economics and real-world interventions. Awarded the MacArthur Fellowship in 1997 and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2003, Kremer’s contributions have shaped modern development economics. He has collaborated extensively with institutions worldwide, advocating for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate social programs. His interdisciplinary approach integrates insights from economics, public policy, and experimental methods, fostering global partnerships to combat poverty effectively.
Adam Hollowell is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Program in Education at Duke University, where he also serves as Senior Research Associate at the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity and Director of the Inequality Studies Minor. His teaching spans ethics, inequality studies, and history across Duke’s Kenan Institute for Ethics, Sanford School of Public Policy, and Department of History. Hollowell holds a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh (2009). His research focuses on inequality, higher education, public policy, and ethics, with notable work on pandemic impacts, telemedicine in education, and reproductive health access during crises. In Inequality Studies , Hollowell emphasizes understanding policies to drive social change, as highlighted in recent media coverage. His publications explore topics like student behavior shifts during the pandemic, telemedicine adoption in universities, and James Baldwin’s ethical challenges. He is a finalist for the Judith Deckers Prize (2024). Professionally, Hollowell leads projects such as Bass Connections on college contraception access and Story+ initiatives. His work bridges academia and public engagement, addressing systemic inequities through interdisciplinary approaches.
Nathan Wainstein is an Assistant Professor in the English Department at the University of Utah's College of Humanities, where he has been teaching since July 2023. His academic work bridges literary studies with contemporary digital media, particularly focusing on video game aesthetics alongside modernist literature. Wainstein maintains an active scholarly presence through publications, editorial work, and his podcast "Authors Die Twice" co-hosted with Bryan Counter. Wainstein's educational background includes: PhD from Stanford University (2013-2020) BA from Swarthmore College (2007-2011) His research interests span video game aesthetics, modernism, the novel, literary theory, narrative theory, and the intersection of literature and philosophy. Wainstein approaches these fields with a particular focus on paradox, difficulty, and aesthetic experiences that challenge conventional interpretations. His work often examines how seemingly simple literary devices like light descriptions can reveal deeper theoretical tensions within texts. Wainstein's recent publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory exploring the boundaries of literary aesthetics, from his analysis of James Joyce's photomimesis to his examination of narrative glitches in Faulkner's work. His scholarship connects historical literary theory with contemporary concerns, particularly in how he applies these frameworks to video game analysis. The upcoming book "Grant Us Eyes: The Art of Paradox in Bloodborne" exemplifies this interdisciplinary approach, bridging literary criticism with video game studies. Wainstein has held prestigious postdoctoral positions including an ACLS Emerging Voices Fellowship at the University of Utah and a Stanford Humanities and Sciences Dean's Fellowship. As an educator, Wainstein teaches innovative courses that reflect his research interests, including "On Difficulty," "Aesthetics of Violence in Video Games and Literature," "Games with Time," and "Videogame Storytelling." His teaching philosophy appears to emphasize the connections between traditional literary studies and contemporary digital media forms.
Jessica Straley is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah, where she has served since 2005 (Visiting Assistant Professor 2005-2007, Assistant Professor 2007-2016, Associate Professor 2016-present). She holds a PhD in English from Stanford University, an MA in Literature, Culture, and Modernity from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, and a BA in English from Cornell University. Education: PhD, English - Stanford University MA, Literature, Culture, and Modernity - Queen Mary and Westfield College BA, English - Cornell University Her research focuses on intersections between Victorian literature, children's literature, animal studies, disability studies, and ecocriticism. She explores how literary imagination interacts with scientific and moral discourses, particularly in 19th-century contexts. Recent publications analyze feral child narratives, zoo representations, and evolutionary theory in children's texts. Her work bridges historical literary analysis with contemporary critical frameworks like disability rights and environmental ethics. Scientific Awards: Faculty Fellowship Award (University Research Council, 2017) Ramona W. Cannon Award for Teaching Excellence (2016) Tanner Humanities Center Fellowship (2016) University Research Committee Faculty Fellowship (2011) Newberry Library Short-Term Library Research Fellowship (2008) She teaches courses in 19th-Century British Literature, Intellectual Movements, and Honors Thesis/Project supervision. Her external grant (Animal Testing URC, 2017-2018) demonstrates institutional support for her interdisciplinary work.
Prof. Dr. Sakibe Nalan BÜYÜKKANTARCIOĞLU is a Professor at Çankaya University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies (English). She previously served as Professor (2007–2019), Associate Professor (2000–2007), and Assistant Professor (1997–2000) at Hacettepe University, Department of English Linguistics. PhD in English Linguistics (Hacettepe University, 1991) MA in English Language Teaching (Middle East Technical University, 1985) BA in English Teaching (Istanbul University, 1978) Her research spans Linguistics, Cognitive Linguistics, Discourse Analysis, Psycholinguistics, Sociolinguistics, Translation Studies , with a focus on figurative language, interjections, political discourse, and endangered languages. She received the European Language Award (2011) and has supervised numerous PhD and MA theses, including work on Turkish idioms, gender representation, and language awareness. A prolific editor and conference participant, she has contributed to interdisciplinary projects and publications on Turkish sociolinguistics.
Professor Hutan Ashrafian is a clinician-scientist and surgeon at the University of Leeds Business School, holding dual roles as Professor of Research Impact and Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College London. His expertise spans AI in healthcare, metabolic surgery, and ancient history. He pioneered STARD-AI and QUADAS-AI guidelines for AI diagnostics, collaborated on AI-driven breast cancer screening with Google and NHS, and led global health policy initiatives. Ashrafian’s work bridges medicine, history, and philosophy, including his contributions to understanding historical figures’ medical conditions, such as King Tutankhamun’s epilepsy. He has authored over 550 publications, 12 books, and holds a PhD in computational physiology and an MBA with distinction. Awards include the Hunterian Prize and Wellcome Trust Fellowship. His research also explores AI ethics, quantum physics paradoxes, and art-based medical diagnostics. Education: PhD in Computational Physiology (Imperial College London) MBA (Warwick Business School) MD (University College London) Bachelor of Science in Immunology (University College London) Research Interests: Ashrafian’s work spans: AI in Medicine: Diagnostic algorithms, guideline development (STARD-AI/QUADAS-AI), and ethical frameworks. Metabolic Surgery: Bariatric interventions, gut microbiome, and obesity treatments. Ancient History: Medical analyses of historical figures (e.g., Tutankhamun, Julius Caesar) and art-based pathology identification. Philosophy: AI rights (AIONAI law), temporal paradoxes, and the Simulation Argument. Awards: Royal College of Surgeons Arris and Gale Lectureship Hunterian Prize Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship Advising & Innovation: Supervised >50 PhD students, co-founded Oxford Medical Products (weight loss tech), and serves as CSO at Flagship Pioneering’s Preemptive Health division. He advises on NHS digital transformation and global health policy. Labs/Teams: Leads AI initiatives at Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation and collaborates with Google, NICE, and international institutions on health tech solutions.
Minh Q. Phan is an Associate Professor of Engineering at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering. His expertise spans system identification, iterative learning control, model predictive control, robotic swarm control, and intelligent control systems. He holds a BS from the University of California, Berkeley, and MS/M.Phil/PhD degrees from Columbia University in Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Phan has contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed publications and serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics. His research focuses on advancing control theory applications in robotics, structural health monitoring, and sustainable construction materials. Key contributions include the development of OKID (Observer/Kalman Filter Identification) methods and bilinear system identification frameworks. Education History: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley, 1985 Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 1986 Master of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 1988 Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 1989 Research Interests: Advanced control methodologies for dynamic systems Model-based predictive control strategies Applications in robotics and aerospace engineering Structural health monitoring via system identification Machine learning for materials science Teaching Responsibilities include courses like ENGG 149 (Systems Identification), ENGS 145 (Modern Control Theory), and ENGG 148 (Structural Mechanics). His work bridges theoretical control systems with practical industrial applications, including automation in food processing and sustainable construction practices. Dr. Phan has collaborated on projects addressing viral epidemiology in Vietnam and coastal erosion mitigation strategies.
Professor Emma Widdis is a leading scholar at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, specializing in the intersection of Soviet cinema, ideology, and cultural geography. Her work explores the reeducation of sensory perception through film, early Soviet urban spaces, and the construction of subjectivity via cinematic techniques. Teaches 20th-century Russian/Soviet literature, cinema, and film theory Focuses on sensory engagement, political avant-garde, and urban spatial representation Supervisor for MPhil and PhD students in Slavonic Studies Her recent book Socialist Senses (2017) examines how cinema shaped Soviet perceptions of reality. Her publications span topics like silence in sound film, set design materiality, and costume symbolism in early Soviet cinema. While no formal scientific awards are listed, her research has been supported through institutional grants and collaborations with centers like CRASSH and Cambridge Language Sciences.
Vincent J. Cheng is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Utah, holding appointments since July 2019. He previously served at the University of Southern California (1979–2019) in roles including Professor of English and Director of Asian American Studies. His academic leadership includes directing the Tanner Humanities Center (2003–2007). Cheng specializes in modernist literature, particularly James Joyce, with research focusing on cultural memory, national identity, and postcolonial studies. He has authored influential works like Amnesia and the Nation and edited volumes on Joyce’s legacy. Recognized for teaching excellence, he received the Calvin S. and JeNeal Hatch Prize in Teaching (2024) and the Distinguished Teaching Award (2014). Cheng’s research integrates philosophy, history, and literature, exploring themes like migration, empathy, and ethical remembrance. His recent work analyzes Joyce’s treatment of memory and history, connecting Irish and American Southern narratives. He also contributes to Joyce Studies Annual and serves on editorial boards for Western Humanities Review . Teaching-wise, he leads advanced seminars on literary studies and British writers, guiding Ph.D. thesis research. Award highlights include the Fulbright Scholar Award (2015) and the Carole & Gordon Segal Visiting Chair in Irish Studies (2014). He remains active in community outreach, such as presenting Joyce’s Dubliners to high school students. His interdisciplinary approach bridges literary analysis with cultural and ethical inquiry.
David Williamson Shaffer is the Sears Bascom Professor of Learning Analytics and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Learning Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Educational Psychology. He is also a Data Philosopher at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. His work focuses on merging statistical and qualitative methods to model complex human collaboration. Shaffer holds an AB in History and East Asian Studies from Harvard University (1987), and MS/PhD in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT (1996/1998). Before academia, he was a teacher, curriculum developer, and game designer. His research emphasizes Quantitative Ethnography —a methodology combining big data analysis with cultural interpretation. Key contributions include Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) and over 250 publications, including influential books like How Computer Games Help Children Learn (2006) and Quantitative Ethnography (2017). Awardees of the EU Marie Curie Fellowship (2008) and Spencer Foundation Fellowship (2003), Shaffer's work has been presented globally at conferences like Learning Analytics & Knowledge and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. His interdisciplinary approach bridges education, data science, and humanities, addressing challenges in authentic STEM experiences, collaborative learning analytics, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
Dimiter Angelov serves as the Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Byzantine History at Harvard University, holding a faculty position in the Department of History within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He chairs Harvard's Ph.D. Program in Byzantine Studies and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses spanning Byzantine, medieval eastern Mediterranean, and medieval Balkan history. His academic credentials include: Ph.D., Harvard University Professor Angelov specializes in the intellectual and political history of the Byzantine Empire after the tenth century, with focused interests in empire and imperialism, political thought and rhetoric, biography, geographical imagination, and the Fourth Crusade's impact. Current research encompasses a comprehensive history of Byzantine political thought examining virtue and tyranny from the fifth to fifteenth centuries, alongside collaborative analysis of Eustathios of Thessaloniki's twelfth-century geographical anthology. His scholarly output features three major monographs exploring Byzantine political ideology, court ceremonies, and imperial biography. These works demonstrate consistent engagement with thirteenth and fourteenth century institutional transformations, particularly how Byzantine elites navigated governance challenges through classical intellectual traditions in the post-Crusade era. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. He actively supervises graduate students pursuing research in Byzantine and medieval Balkan/eastern Mediterranean history. The source texts do not reference specific grants, funding sources, laboratory facilities, or research teams.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)United Kingdom
Clare Hemmings is a Professor of Feminist Theory at the Department of Gender Studies, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she has been since 1999. Her work bridges feminist theory, queer studies, and sexuality studies, with a focus on how these fields are institutionalized and narrated. She holds a PhD and has authored seminal works like Why Stories Matter (2011) and Considering Emma Goldman (2018), which explore feminist historiography and political ambivalence. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary methods, including archival interventions and creative writing to challenge dominant narratives. Hemmings’ research interests include feminist epistemology, queer of color critique, and anarchist thought. She has been active in countering 'anti-gender' movements and is currently developing a project on 'Feminist Knowledge Struggles.' Her work is marked by attention to form, affect, and the intersection of nationalism, feminism, and sexuality. She supervises PhD students Senel Wanniarachchi and Rawda Elaskary and has received the FWSA Book Prize 2012 for Why Stories Matter . Hemmings’ articles span feminist theory, political mobilizations, and affect studies. Her recent work engages with family memory archives and decolonial methodologies. She is a prolific scholar, contributing to journals like Memory Studies , Feminist Studies , and Radical Philosophy . Her interdisciplinary approach integrates literary criticism, sociology, and activism, offering transformative frameworks for feminist praxis.
